Antyone+Can+Persuade

Teacher Demo by Amy Morrow on June 13, 2007

 * “Ant”yone Can Persuade**

use of the writing process focusing on the traits of: ideas, organization, and conventions.
 * Instructional Objective:** Improve student persuasive writing through the

-Students will learn to construct an argument using the steps in the writing process. -Students will use details to support their argument. -Students will rate their writing using a self-assessment guide.
 * Student Outcomes:**

experiences in a variety of genres. It is never too soon to start introducing different forms of writing. Exposure and opportunities to practice composing an argument will help construct the beginning foundation for future writing experiences.
 * Rationale/Theory:** Students need to participate in a variety of writing

audiences, purposes, and contexts.
 * Standards Addressed:**
 * Standard 3-Writing: The student writes effectively for a variety of
 * Benchmark 4: The student writes persuasive text using the writing process.


 * Content and Activities:**
 * Activating prior knowledge
 * Brainstorm (whole group)
 * Listening to __Hey, Little Ant__ by Phillip and Hannah Hoose
 * Brainstorm defending details (individual/peer share)
 * First Draft
 * Edit (peer editing)
 * Revise (individual)
 * Publish (individual/whole group)

assignment.
 * Assessment:**
 * Students will use a rubric to self-assess their persuasive piece of writing for the traits of: ideas, organization, and conventions.
 * Students will apply the persuasive techniques to another teacher


 * Materials:**
 * __Hey, Little Ant__ book
 * pictures of ants
 * Ant music (optional)
 * writing paper
 * markers
 * chart paper
 * glue sticks
 * scissors
 * shoe template
 * ant blackline
 * construction paper
 * self-assessment rubric


 * Instructional Procedures:**
 * Activate Prior Knowledge:** Teacher shows a picture of ants to groups. Students will brainstorm words and phrases about ants with their groups (i.e. feeling words and knowledge about the subject) to be shared and written on a web organizer.

1) Read __Hey, Little Ant.__ 2) After reading the book, have students identify the dilemma (problem) at the end of the story.
 * Focus:**
 * Should the ant get squished? Should the ant go free? What do you think the kid should do?

1) Students will brainstorm on their paper reasons why the ant should be set free, or why the boy should step on the ant. 2) After brainstorming, students will turn to their shoulder buddy and share their reasons for the decision made about the ant’s fate. your buddy says something on your list, don’t repeat it when is your time to share.
 * Prewrite (Brainstorm):** *Make a decision about which choice to argue.
 * Note: Only share what hasn’t been shared. If


 * Drafting:**
 * Teacher restates the problem: Should the ant go free, or be squished?

1) Students need to choose one, or two reasons for their argument. i.e. You want to do something that your parents don’t want you to do. Justifying why you should be allowed to do the activity is important. You’re trying to convince them to change their mind! 2) Create first draft of paper with or without an organizer.
 * Give examples of the importance of defending an argument with details.

1) Student will share with the person sitting in front of them (face partner) what they have written. 2) Shoulder buddy can make suggestions for changes, or just comment on the writing.
 * Sharing:**

1) Students need to read their writing to themselves, while asking themselves the following questions: 2) Make changes or add to writing that will help persuade the reader.
 * Revise:**
 * Have I answered the question to the dilemma (problem)?
 * Do I have an opinion?
 * Did I defend my argument? Did I give evidence for why I feel strongly about the outcome?

1) Students will look over paper for conventions (i.e. spacing, capitalization, punctuation, and verb tense).
 * Editing (Conventions):**
 * Students should underline the capital letter at the beginning of the sentence with a marker. Using another color, they will circle the punctuation at the end. Write verb tense changes in another color.

1) At the completion of editing, students will copy what they have written on the shoe template. 2) Cut out shoe and ant. 3) When gluing the shoe on the paper, the shoe should be up (if their argument was for setting the ant free) and should be down (if their argument was for squishing the ant). 4) Share published piece with the group.
 * Publish: *Hand out to each student: piece of construction paper, shoe**
 * template, and ant. To each group: scissors, glue stick, and markers**

and those who would squish the ant.
 * Cross-Curricular Connections:**
 * Math:** Graph the number of students who would let the ant go free,
 * Science:** Research ants
 * Reading:** Share other “Ant” books with the class
 * __Antics! An Alphabetical Anthology__ by Cathi Hepworth
 * __There’s An Ant in Anthony__ by Bernard Most
 * __One Hundred Angry Ants__ by Elinor J. Pinczes
 * __Ant Cities__ by Arthur Dorros
 * __The 512 Ants on Sullivan Street__ by Carol A. Losi
 * __Thinking About Ants__ by Barbara Brenner and Carol Schwartz
 * __The Little Red Ant and the Great Big Crumb__ by Shirley Climo
 * __Two Bad Ants__ by Chris Allsburg


 * Extension Writing Activity:** Read the book __Find Anthony Ant__ by Lorna Philpot to work on composing rhymes.